Dec

City Council Ayes M’ville Expansion

Word from Bwog’s City Hall correspondent has it that Columbia’s proposed expansion plan has been approved by the city council by a vote of 35-5-6. Community Board 9’s plan (the 197-a) was approved unanimously, just for the hell of it. (Actually, what this means is that Columbia’s plan will apply to its expansion area and CB9’s plan will apply to the rest of the district.) Still no speculation on why the Council moved the vote up from January–the Municipal Art Society issued a release earlier today urging more time for consideration.

Both plans will now go to Mayor Bloomberg, who will have five days to approve or veto them. In the unlikely event of a veto, a 2/3 supermajority of city council members will have 10 days to override it.

There goes the neighborhood.

For further reading:

City Room’s got the story and a nice recap for those who’ve never read anything on the subject.

So please explain how it would have been better, from this perspective, if the Council had had today's hearings and votes in mid-January, WHEN ALL COLUMBIA STUDENTS ARE ON VACATION.

You're arguing that Columbia is trying to silence its students by forcing a vote when they are still in the city, rather than having the vote take place when they are all at home? That logic makes little sense.